An At-Home Hair Removal Device That Actually Works

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I raise my arm up to get the attention of my best friend and notice an odd look on her face after doing a double take at my underarms. Did I forget to shave? I swipe my hand over my legs and yes, sure enough stubble. I'm so excited that the sun is finally shining, flowers are blooming, and it's time for cute skirts, but I don't want to spend the summer worrying about stubbly legs, razor burn, and constantly having to shave.

So when I heard about Me Smooth, a new at-home hair removal device, I breathed a sigh of relief. My concerns are finally being addressed and according to a study published in Dermatologic Surgery by Jerome Garden, MD, a dermatologist at Northwestern University and director of the Physicians Laser and Dermatology Institute in Chicago, the Me Smooth device is safe and effective for people of all skin types.

Traditionally, at-home hair removal machines use strong light pulses to remove unwanted hairs without damaging the surrounding skin. Unfortunately, these machines are only intended for people with light skin and cause discoloration on those with darker skin tones. But the Me Smooth device uses light pulses, plus radiowaves. The addition of the radiowaves enables the use of lower levels of light pulses, thus reducing the risk of discoloration in darker skin types.

Garden treated people of all skin types, ages 18-65, once a week for seven weeks and noted at least a 40 percent overall hair reduction after each use–and a 54 percent cumulative reduction if the participants used the device for ten weeks. Best of all, 98 percent of subjects reported no pain or mild pain; by the next morning, there were zero reports of redness, swelling, or itching.

When I tried out the Me Smooth, a small device that fit comfortably in the palm on my hand, I was pleasantly surprised by how easy it was to use. I simply turned it on, picked a setting (low, medium, or high—I tried all three!), pressed the activation button and then gently placed the applicator on my skin. It has a sensing device, so once on my skin, it automatically emitted pulses of bright white light indicating that it was working. I moved it up and down my leg and was done with both legs in just two minutes. Even on the highest setting, I experienced absolutely no pain.

Now the question is: How do these at-home hair removal machines compare to in-office devices? Kimberly Butterwick MD, a laser expert and dermatologist from San Diego, says the home unit is intended for partial hair loss (only 43 percent to 58 percent) and maintenance. With higher energy, in-office laser removal devices, patients can expect a 90 percent reduction in unwanted hair in three to six months. "Ultimately patients will want both for faster, more complete results but fewer office visits," she says.

I agree with Dr. Butterwick: The Me Smooth is great for touch-ups. It also greatly helps to alleviate razor burn. After just a few sessions, I can confidently raise my arms and know that if someone does a double take, it has nothing to do with stubble.

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Loyola Stritch School of Medicine's Karlee Novice is a member of the 2014 ELLE DermNext program.

ELLE's DermNext mentorship program teams undergrads, medical students and residents with ELLE editors and dermatologists from the ASDS (American Society for Dermatologic Surgery) to write about the latest breakthroughs in the world of skincare.